Refreshing Napa Cabbage Water Kimchi (Baechu Mul Kimchi)
How to Make Nabak Kimchi: A Cool and Delicious Napa Cabbage Water Kimchi
Water kimchi is a winter delicacy. A sip of its refreshing broth will truly invigorate your senses. Enjoy the crisp vegetables and clean, revitalizing soup!
Kimchi Ingredients
- 1 Radish (approx. 500g)
- 2 heads of young Napa cabbage (Albaegi)
- 4 Red chili peppers
- 1/2 ripe pear
- 4 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fine Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup coarse sea salt (for seasoning)
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 18 cups (3.6 liters) purified water
- 5 stalks of scallions
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash and Prepare Vegetables: Begin by thoroughly washing the radish and young Napa cabbage. Do not peel the radish; instead, use a soft scrub brush to gently clean off any dirt. For the cabbage, trim the base and separate the leaves, then wash each leaf under running water.
Step 2
Prepare Chili Water (Soaking Gochugaru): In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of fine Gochugaru with 2 cups of purified water. Let it soak to soften the chili powder. Add 4 Tbsp of minced garlic to the mixture while soaking; this helps the seasonings dissolve smoothly. The clear broth characteristic of Mul Kimchi is achieved by not adding Gochugaru directly, but rather by extracting its color and flavor, often by squeezing it through a cloth or, as we’re doing, by soaking and straining. I will strain it through a sieve first, and then again through a fine cheesecloth for an even clearer broth.
Step 3
Cutting Radish (Step 1): We’ll be cutting the radish into approximately 3cm x 3cm pieces, like thin slices. First, slice the radish into thin pieces about 0.5cm thick. Slicing them not too thin will give them a pleasant texture.
Step 4
Cutting Radish (Step 2): Arrange the sliced radish pieces side-by-side and slice them to the same thickness (0.5cm) again. This ensures consistent sizing.
Step 5
Cutting Radish (Step 3): Now, cut the radish slices into pieces approximately 3cm in length. Aim for uniform cubes, about 3cm in width, length, and thickness, for an attractive presentation.
Step 6
Cutting Cabbage: Cut the Napa cabbage into similar sized pieces as the radish, about 3cm x 3cm. Since Albaegi cabbage heads are small, you can first cut them in half lengthwise, then cut into 3cm pieces for convenience.
Step 7
Salting the Radish: Place the sliced radish in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of coarse sea salt. Mix well to coat the radish evenly and let it salt for about 30 minutes. The amount of salt can be adjusted based on the quantity of radish and your preference.
Step 8
Checking the Radish: After about 30 minutes, you’ll notice some liquid has been drawn out from the radish, and it will feel slightly softer than before. The salted radish is now ready.
Step 9
Salting Cabbage with Radish: Add the sliced Napa cabbage to the bowl with the salted radish. Gently mix them together, and let the cabbage salt along with the radish for another 30 minutes.
Step 10
Preparing Additional Ingredients (Carrot): Carrots can be sliced into thin rounds, or for a decorative touch, you can make shallow V-shaped cuts along the side before slicing thinly. (My decorative cuts weren’t perfect!^^)
Step 11
Preparing Additional Ingredients (Chili Peppers and Scallions): Thinly julienne the red chili peppers into about 3cm lengths. If you have scallions, cut them into 5cm lengths to add to the kimchi.
Step 12
First Straining of Chili Water: Pour the mixture of soaked Gochugaru and garlic from Step 1 through a fine-mesh sieve to extract the colored water. Using a fine sieve is key to achieving a smooth, lump-free broth.
Step 13
Second Straining of Chili Water: Add another 2 cups of purified water to the remaining Gochugaru and garlic pulp in the sieve. Gently knead and mix it, then strain again through the sieve. Repeating this process two more times will help extract more color and flavor from the chili powder.
Step 14
Third Straining and Adding Pear: Add a final 2 cups of purified water, gently mix, and strain through the sieve. At this stage, you can also blend half a pear and strain its juice along with the chili water. This adds a natural sweetness and depth of flavor to the Mul Kimchi.
Step 15
Final Chili Water Preparation: The strained liquid should now have a clear, reddish hue. Pour this chili water into the container with the salted cabbage and radish. For an even cleaner broth, you can line the sieve with cheesecloth for this final straining.
Step 16
Chili Water Quantity: This process yields approximately 6 cups of clear chili water. This forms the base of your Mul Kimchi’s flavor.
Step 17
Adding More Water: Add an additional 10 to 12 cups of purified water to the chili water. The total amount of water should be enough to generously cover the cabbage and radish. You can adjust the water quantity to your liking.
Step 18
Adding Other Ingredients: Add the prepared carrots and julienned red chili peppers to the kimchi container. If using scallions, add the cut pieces now. (I couldn’t add scallions this time.)
Step 19
Adding Sweetness and Seasoning: Stir in 4 Tbsp of sugar and mix everything gently. Taste the kimchi and adjust the seasoning by adding more coarse salt or sugar as needed. Well-seasoned Mul Kimchi should have a balanced, refreshing taste with a hint of sweetness.
Step 20
Completion and Fermentation: This Napa Cabbage Water Kimchi is delicious right away, but letting it ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days will deepen the flavors. For an extra fragrant touch, add thinly sliced minari (water dropwort) just before serving. Minari can become mushy if added too early, so it’s best added right before eating. Enjoy your delicious and refreshing Baechu Mul Kimchi!
